Aerosol dispenser apparatus and method for using same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to aerosol dispensers that have multiple removable cartridge-refills, wherein at least one of the cartridge-refills can be selectively positioned to have its contents discharged while the contents of the remaining cartridge-refills stay contained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus that can be usedas an aerosol dispenser. In particular the present invention relates toaerosol dispensers that have multiple removable cartridges, wherein atleast one of the cartridges can be selectively positioned to have itscontents discharged while the contents of the remaining cartridges staycontained.

2. Description of Related Art

Aerosol dispensers and cans for dispensing pressurized materials arecommercially available in a variety of stores. The dispensers and cansgenerally contain products and materials ranging from harmless airfresheners to toxic substances such as insecticides and paints. Mostaerosol dispensers dispense a single product while other aerosoldispensers that are on the market have multiple material compartmentswherein the materials from the multiple material compartments arecombined either by an actuator or some other device upon discharge. Awell known aerosol dispenser is typically in the form of a pressurizedcan containing a product that will be discharged by depressing a pushbutton actuator.

Many products and materials are dispensed using aerosol dispensers andaerosol cans. Generally the aerosol dispensers and aerosol cans that arecommercially available dispense a single product. This is accomplishedby constructing an aerosol can that contains a propellant which is afluid that boils well below room temperature and a product that boils ata much higher temperature. The product is the substance you actuallyuse, for example hair spray or insect repellent, and the propellant isthe means of getting the product out of the can. Both fluids aretypically stored in a sealed metal can.

Generally there are two commonly used ways to configure an aerosolsystem. In the simpler design, you pour in the liquid product, seal thecan, and then pump a gaseous propellant through the valve system. Thegas is pumped in at high-pressure, so it pushes down on the liquidproduct with a good amount of force.

In this type of can configuration, a long plastic tube runs from thebottom of the can up to a valve system at the top of the can. The valvetypically has a very simple design. It has a small, depressible headpiece, with a narrow channel running through it. The channel runs froman inlet near the bottom of the head piece to a small nozzle at the top.A spring pushes the head piece up, so the channel inlet is blocked by atight seal.

As the head piece is depressed, the inlet slides below the seal, openinga passage from the inside of the can to the outside. The high-pressurepropellant gas drives the liquid product up the plastic tube and outthrough the nozzle. The narrow nozzle serves to atomize the flowingliquid that is breaking it up into tiny drops which form a fine spray.

In the more popular system, the propellant is a liquefied gas. Thismeans that the propellant will take liquid form when it is highlycompressed, even if it is kept well above its boiling point.

Since the product is liquid at room temperature, it is simply poured inbefore the can is sealed. The propellant, on the other hand, must bepumped in under high pressure after the can is sealed. When thepropellant is kept under high enough pressure, it doesn't have any roomto expand into a gas. It stays in liquid form as long as the pressure ismaintained.

Typically the actual can design in this liquefied-gas system is exactlythe same as in the compressed-gas system. But when the button isdepressed the valve is open and the pressure on the liquid propellant isinstantly reduced. With less pressure, it can begin to boil. Particlesbreak free, forming a gas layer at the top of the can. This pressurizedgas layer pushes the liquid product, as well as some of the liquidpropellant, up the tube to the nozzle.

When the liquid flows through the nozzle, the propellant rapidly expandsinto gas. In some aerosol cans, this action helps to atomize theproduct, forming an extremely fine spray. In other designs, theevaporating propellant forms bubbles in the product, creating a foamysubstance. The consistency of the expelled product depends on severalfactors, including but not limited to the chemical makeup of thepropellant and product, the ratio of propellant to product, the pressureof the propellant and the size and shape of the valve system.

Manufacturers are able to produce a wide variety of aerosol devices byconfiguring these elements in different combinations. However the basicmechanism at work is the same, one fluid pushes another.

Prior art aerosol cans generally only contain a single product such as adeodorant. If an user of a product desires to have multiple deodorantseach having a different scent then the user must purchase multipledeodorant aerosol cans, that is, one aerosol can for each fragrancedesired. The within invention advantageously solves that problem byallowing an user to purchase a single canister that can hold a pluralityof fragrances.

Another problem with existing prior art aerosol cans is that theproducts within aerosol cans that contain multiple compartments willgenerally not be consumed at the same rate as the products within othercompartments due to users' preferences. This will cause the aerosol canto have certain compartments with a product that will be depleted beforethe products within the remaining compartments. The within inventionadvantageously solves this problem by providing cartridge-refills.

Therefore there is not only a need for an aerosol dispenser thatcontains multiple products but also for an aerosol dispenser whereineach product canister that is depleted can be replaced with anotherproduct canister having the same product or a different product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus according to present invention comprises an aerosoldispenser having a plurality of cartridges each cartridge capable ofbeing independently selected for use. The apparatus further comprises anaccess mechanism for removing and replacing each of the plurality ofcartridges such that when a particular cartridge is empty it can bereplaced with a refill cartridge.

Another embodiment according to the present invention comprises theapparatus further having an actuator cap for activating the dischargevalve on at least one of the plurality of cartridges and a plurality ofcartridge guides for positioning the cartridges within a dispenserhousing which accepts and houses each of the cartridge guides.

Another embodiment according to the present invention comprises an userinserting refill cartridges into the dispenser housing into at least oneof the cartridge guides, then selects a cartridge having a product thatwill be discharged by manually pressing the cartridge guide containingthe selected cartridge into a center of a dispenser such that it alignswith a spray button positioned in a spray-head cap affixed onto thedispenser housing above the selected cartridge guide, when the userdesires to use a different product, the cartridge having the differentproduct is pushed toward the center of the dispenser such that itdislodges the cartridge that has previously been used and secures thecartridge having the different product into place.

Another embodiment according to the present invention comprises anaerosol dispenser having a canister with a top-portion, abottom-portion, an interior-portion, an exterior-portion and a pluralityof cartridge-selectors, a plurality of cartridge-holders having aninside-portion and an outside-portion, movably affixed to theinterior-portion of the canister by at least one contractor, whereineach cartridge-holder includes at least one cartridge-refill-springpositioned within the inside-portion, a cap movably affixed to thetop-portion of the canister capable of 360 degree rotation relative to apoint on the canister, the cap further having a movable spray-head suchthat when a user depresses the spray-head, the spray-head dispensescontents of a cartridge-refill that is positioned within at least one ofthe plurality of cartridge-holders, a plurality of deformers positionedon the bottom-portion wherein there is one deformer for each of theplurality of cartridge-holders, and a cartridge-spring-platformpositioned on a center of the bottom-portion further including acartridge-spring between the cartridge-spring-platform and thebottom-portion, wherein the cartridge-spring-platform will be locatedwithin the interior-portion of the canister when the bottom-portion isaffixed to the canister.

In another aspect of the present invention the aerosol dispenserapparatus further comprises a movable-surface positioned adjacent to thespray-head such that when an user depresses the movable-surface thespray-head is engaged and discharges the contents of thecartridge-refill that is selected for use.

In another aspect of the present invention the aerosol dispenserapparatus comprises a deformer, wherein the deformer is constructed of apliable material including at least one of a rubber and a plastic.

In another aspect of the present invention the aerosol dispenserapparatus comprises a deformer, wherein the deformer further includes adeformer-button wherein when a user depresses the deformer-button thedeformer changes its shape to accept cartridge-refills.

In another aspect of the present invention a method comprising the stepsof depressing a deformer-button to alter a shape of a deformer to accepta cartridge-refill into at least one of a plurality of cartridge-holdersof the apparatus, inserting a cartridge-refill through the deformer thathas its shape altered into the at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders such that a cartridge-refill-spring is compressed bythe cartridge-refill, and releasing the deformer-button to secure thecartridge-refill into the at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders.

In another aspect of the present invention the method further comprisesthe steps of selecting for use, the at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders having a cartridge-refill housed within it byinserting a finger into a cartridge-selector to access the selectedcartridge-holder, pushing the selected at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders into a center of the canister, wherein the at leastone contractor that is affixed to the canister and the selected at leastone of the plurality of cartridge-holders is expanded and stretched,securing the selected at least one of the plurality of cartridge-holdersinto the center of the canister, such that the at least one of theplurality of cartridge-holders is positioned under the spray-head andlocked into position by the cartridge-spring-platform.

In another aspect of the present invention the method of claim 6 furthercomprising the steps of replacing at least one of a plurality ofcartridge-holders for a currently selected cartridge-holder by insertinga finger into a cartridge-selector to access at least one of a pluralityof cartridge-holders that will replace the currently selectedcartridge-holder, using the finger to push the newly-selected at leastone of the plurality of cartridge-holders into a center of the canister,wherein the currently selected cartridge is moved out of position by thenewly-selected at least one of the plurality of cartridge-holders and byaid of contraction of the previously expanded contractor that is affixedto the currently selected at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders and to the canister.

The term “approximately” as used within this application means avariation of 0.001% to 5%.

The above and yet other aspects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description ofthe Drawings and Detailed Description of the Invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Apparatus that are particular embodiments of the invention will now bedescribed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates components of a multi-cartridge aerosol dispenserapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates cartridge-refill insertion according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates cartridge-refill removal according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates cartridge-holder switching according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cartridge-holder spring according to an embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a method for using a multi-cartridge aerosoldispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Innovative design advantageously allows customer to enjoy threereplaceable cartridges in a single large can. Customer can easily insertand activate cartridge in a couple easy steps. Mechanism is fairlysimple and can be mass produced at a relatively low cost. Customer willmake one time investment in mechanism, and then purchase replaceablecartridges at low price.

FIG. 1 illustrates components of a multi-cartridge aerosol containeraccording to an embodiment of the present invention comprising acanister 101 having a top-portion 102, a bottom-portion 103 and aninterior-portion 104 having a plurality of cartridge-holders 105positioned and affixed to the interior-portion 104 using a contractor106. Movably affixed to the top-portion 102 of the canister 101 is a cap107 capable of 360 degrees of rotation relative to any point on thetop-portion 102 of the canister 101. The cap 107 comprises a movablespray-head 108 having either a male extension or a female receptaclewhich is affixed to a movable-surface 109 of the cap 107 such that whena user depresses the movable-surface 109 of the cap the spray-head 108also moves in the direction of the depressed movable-surface. The cap107 further comprises a spray-cut-out 110 which is positioned such thatthe spray-head 108 when the spray-head 108 is depressed via themovable-surface 109, the spray-head 108 discharges material through thespray-cut-out 110 towards the user's intended target. The bottom-portion103 comprises a plurality of deformers 111, one deformer 111 for eachcartridge-holder 105. The deformer 111 holds a refill-cartridge 112 inplace within each of the plurality of cartridge-holders 105. As adeformer-button 113 is depressed the deformer 111 which is constructedof a pliable material changes shape from an oval to a circle thusallowing a refill-cartridge 112 to be inserted through the deformer 111into the cartridge-holder 105. Once the refill-cartridge is positionedinto the cartridge-holder 105 the deformer-button 113 is released andthe deformer 111 returns to an oval shape thereby securing therefill-cartridge 112 into the cartridge-holder 105. Affixed to a centerof the bottom-portion 103 is a cartridge-spring 114 that is positionedunder a cartridge-spring-platform 115 that secures a cartridge-refill112 that is selected for use by a user directly under the spray-head108. During operation an user selects a desired refill-cartridge 112 foruse by pushing their finger through a cartridge-selector 116 such thatthe desired cartridge-refill 112 that is housed within thecartridge-holder 105 is pushed into a center of the interior-portion 104of the canister 101 thereby positioning the cartridge-refill 112 incontact with the spray-head 108 and secured into the center of theinterior-portion 104 by the cartridge-spring-platform 115. When the userdesires to expel the contents of the cartridge-refill 112 onto thedesired target, the user points the spray-cut-out 108 towards the targetand depresses the movable-surface 109 to discharge the contents of theselected cartridge-refill 112. If there is a cartridge-refill 112already in position for use and the user desires to use a differentcartridge-refill 112 that is housed within a different cartridge-holder105 then the user simply pushes their finger through thecartridge-selector 116 of the cartridge-refill 112 desired to exchangethe current cartridge-refill 112 positioned for use with the desiredcartridge-refill 112 to be used. One of a plurality of contractors 106is affixed to each cartridge-holder 105 and to the interior-portion 104of the canister 101. When a cartridge-refill is selected for use thecontractor 106 which is constructed from expandable material such asrubber but other materials having similar properties can be used, isstretched and extended, when a different cartridge-refill 112 isselected the stretched and extended contractor 106 assists in moving thede-selected cartridge-refill 112 to be guided back into its originalposition being aided by the contraction properties of the contractor106.

FIG. 2 illustrates insertion of a cartridge-refill 201 into one of aplurality of cartridge-holders 202 within a canister 203 according to anembodiment of the present invention. A cartridge-refill 201 ispositioned into an available cartridge-holder. A deformer-button 204 isdepressed that changes a shape of a deformer 205 to allow thecartridge-refill to be positioned into the selected cartridge-holder.Once the cartridge-refill 201 is completely inserted into thecartridge-holder, the deformer-button 204 is released and thecartridge-refill 201 is secured in the cartridge-holder.

FIG. 3 illustrates removal of cartridge-refills 301 from a plurality ofcartridge-holders 302 within a canister 303 according to an embodimentof the present invention. A deformer-button 304 is depressed thatchanges a shape of a deformer 305 to allow the cartridge-refill to bereleased from a selected cartridge-holder. Once the cartridge-refill 301is completely removed from the cartridge-holder, the deformer-button 304is released.

FIG. 4 illustrates switching cartridge-holders 401 from a plurality ofcartridge-holders 401 within a canister 402 according to an embodimentof the present invention. During operation a user moves the desiredcartridge-holder 401 into position for use by using a cartridge-selector403. The selected cartridge-holder 401 is secured in place by acartridge-spring-platform 404. A contractor 405 that has a first-sideaffixed to an interior portion of the canister 402 and a second-sidethat is affixed to the selected cartridge-holder is stretched howevermore than one contractor 405 can be affixed to each cartridge-holder401. When a user de-selects the current cartridge-holder 401 thecontractor 405 will aid in re-positioning the de-selectedcartridge-holder 405 into its original position.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cartridge-holder according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. A cartridge-holder 501 is provided in a shape of atube however other shapes can be used. A cartridge-spring 502 isinserted and affixed to an interior portion of the cartridge-holder 501opposite to an open-end 503 of the cartridge-holder that will acceptcartridge-refills (not shown). As a cartridge-refill is inserted intothe cartridge-holder 501 the cartridge-spring 502 compresses, thisadvantageously allows for a more secure fit into the cartridge-holder501 and an easy release when the cartridge-refill is to be replaced.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. A cartridge-refill is pushed through a deformer until it issecured into a cartridge-holder, an audible click can be sounded tonotify a user (Step 601). The user selects a cartridge-holder having adesired cartridge-refill for use that was previously placed into theaerosol container by moving the selected cartridge-holder using acartridge-selector thereby positioning the selected cartridge-holderinto a position under a spray-head (Step 602). Upon selection the newlyselected cartridge-holder having the cartridge-refill displaces apreviously selected cartridge-holder. The newly selectedcartridge-holder is secured into position under the spray-head and isheld in place using a cartridge-spring-platform (Step 603). If thede-selected cartridge-holder contains a cartridge-refill that is emptyor the user desires to replace the de-selected cartridge-refill, thede-selected cartridge-refill can be removed from the aerosol canister byactivating a deformer-button that causes the deformer to open largerthan the de-selected cartridge thereby allowing the de-selectedcartridge to be removed from the aerosol container (Step 604).

Having described embodiments for an aerosol spray apparatus, it is notedthat modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in theart in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understoodthat changes may be made in the particular embodiments of the inventiondisclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1) An aerosol dispenser apparatus comprising: acanister having a top-portion, a bottom-portion, an interior-portion, anexterior-portion and a plurality of cartridge-selectors, a plurality ofcartridge-holders having an inside-portion and an outside-portion,movably affixed to the interior-portion of the canister by at least onecontractor, wherein each cartridge-holder includes at least onecartridge-refill-spring positioned within the inside-portion, a capmovably affixed to the top-portion of the canister capable of 360 degreerotation relative to a point on the canister, the cap further having amovable spray-head such that when a user depresses the spray-head, thespray-head dispenses contents of a cartridge-refill that is positionedwithin at least one of the plurality of cartridge-holders, a pluralityof deformers positioned on the bottom-portion wherein there is onedeformer for each of the plurality of cartridge-holders, and acartridge-spring-platform positioned on a center of the bottom-portionfurther including a cartridge-spring between thecartridge-spring-platform and the bottom-portion, wherein thecartridge-spring-platform will be located within the interior-portion ofthe canister when the bottom-portion is affixed to the canister. 2) Theaerosol dispenser apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising amovable-surface positioned adjacent to the spray-head such that when anuser depresses the movable-surface the spray-head is engaged anddischarges the contents of the cartridge-refill that is selected foruse. 3) The aerosol dispenser apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe deformer is constructed of a pliable material including at least oneof a rubber and a plastic. 4) The aerosol dispenser apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the deformer further includes a deformer-buttonwherein when a user depresses the deformer-button the deformer changesits shape to accept cartridge-refills. 5) A method comprising the stepsof: Depressing a deformer-button to alter a shape of a deformer toaccept a cartridge-refill into at least one of a plurality ofcartridge-holders of the apparatus of claim 1, Inserting acartridge-refill through the deformer having the altered shape into theat least one of the plurality of cartridge-holders such that acartridge-refill-spring is compressed by the cartridge-refill, andReleasing the deformer-button to secure the cartridge-refill into the atleast one of the plurality of cartridge-holders. 6) The method of claim5 further comprising the steps of Selecting for use, the at least one ofthe plurality of cartridge-holders having a cartridge-refill housedwithin it by using a cartridge-selector to access the selectedcartridge-holder, Moving the selected at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders into a center of the canister, wherein the at leastone contractor, that is affixed to an inside of the canister and theselected at least one of the plurality of cartridge-holders, is expandedand stretched, Securing the selected at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders into the center of the canister, such that the atleast one of the plurality of cartridge-holders is positioned under thespray-head and locked into position by a cartridge-spring-platform. 7)The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of Replacing acurrently selected at least one of a plurality of cartridge-holders byusing a cartridge-selector to access at least one of a plurality ofcartridge-holders that will replace the currently selectedcartridge-holder, Moving the newly-selected at least one of theplurality of cartridge-holders into a center of the canister, whereinthe currently selected cartridge is displaced out of position by thenewly-selected at least one of the plurality of cartridge-holders and byaid of contraction of the previously expanded contractor that is affixedto the currently selected at least one of the plurality ofcartridge-holders and to the canister.